🌿 Continental climate

A continental climate is a climate far from the sea. Summers are hot, winters are cold, and temperatures swing a lot between day and night and between seasons. There is no sea nearby to soften the weather.

For a vineyard this means two main risks. The first is winter cold. In such places vines are sometimes buried under soil for the winter. The second is spring frost, when the buds have already woken up. If frost strikes, part of the crop can be lost.

On the other hand, hot summers and cool nights help grapes build sugar and keep acidity. Wines from continental areas can therefore be rich and fresh at the same time. This climate is a part of the wider idea of vineyard climate. It differs from a maritime climate, where weather is milder and steadier, and from a warm climate, where summers are hotter and longer. The choice of grape and planting site depends strongly on it.